Greengate Lane Academy

Inspection of a good school: Greengate Lane Academy Greengate Lane, High Green, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S35 3GT

p.1

Outcome

Greengate Lane Academy continues to be a good school.

p.1

Outcome

The school principal is Kara Robinson. This school is part of the Astrea Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rowena Hackwood, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ben Brown.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Greengate Lane Academy is proud to serve its community. The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. These are realised. Pupils attain well in the school’s published outcomes. Pupils are happy and safe at the school. Behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes is positive.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn and experience. This is having a clear impact. Visits link to the curriculum and enhance pupils’ understanding. The school also takes account of the locality and has adapted the curriculum accordingly. As a result, pupils learn about road safety and water safety.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on leadership roles. These include as ‘go green leaders’ and librarians. Through these roles, pupils learn how they can have a positive impact on others. Pupils are well-prepared to be active members of the community. They debate current global events. This develops skills such as accepting difference and considering other people’s points of view.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is committed to providing pupils with appropriate wider opportunities. The school takes on board pupils’ ideas. As a result, pupils develop skills in line with their interests. There is a range of enrichment and after-school activities. These clubs include fencing and volleyball. These are inclusive and popular. They are valued by pupils. 8 and 9 May 2024

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school prioritises reading. Pupils are taught phonics in a structured way. Staff access regular training. They skilfully deliver daily phonics sessions. Staff make sure that the books pupils read help them to practise the sounds they are learning. If pupils fall behind in reading, they are quickly identified. They receive the help they need to catch up. As a result, pupils learn to read with fluency and accuracy. The school promotes a strong culture of reading for pleasure. This is effective. Pupils enjoy reading. They talk confidently about their favourite authors and the types of books they like to read.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils benefit from the clear sequence of learning across curriculum subjects. Adults regularly check what pupils understand. Leaders use this information to identify curriculum impact. Adults then access training linked to any areas of the curriculum that are less effective. This provides adults with the subject knowledge to implement the curriculum well. Pupils take pride in their work. In most subjects, adults use strategies in lessons to revisit prior learning. Pupils make clear links in their learning to develop their knowledge. However, in some subjects, such as geography, these strategies are not used with the same precision. As a result, the extent to which pupils develop a depth of knowledge is not consistent across all subjects.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff are well trained to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff accurately identify pupils’ additional needs. A variety of resources are used to help these pupils to learn the same curriculum as their peers. These include writing frames and practical resources. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has ensured that adults in the early years access training to support the development of children’s communication and language knowledge. Adults consistently model the use of new vocabulary. This helps children to improve their own language skills. Children work well together in small groups. Many of the learning activities that children access are effective. They are well considered, with a clear understanding of what children need to learn next. However, some writing activities are not designed with the same accuracy. Children are not as engaged by these activities. They access them less often. As a result, children in the early years do not learn to write as well as they could.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils learn about different cultures and faiths. They have an accurate understanding of the similarities and differences between religions. Pupils learn about British values. This is reinforced through school activities such as voting for the academy council.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are committed to raising attendance. They have robust systems of checking and addressing poor attendance. The school works closely with families and other agencies. Attendance is improving. As a result, more pupils are accessing the curriculum more often.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

School and trust leaders take responsibility for the well-being and workload of staff. Changes have been made to how adults mark pupils’ work and check learning over time. This has made a positive difference. Staff value such consideration. They work well together as a cohesive team. 8 and 9 May 2024

p.2

3

Governors and trustees access appropriate training. This helps them understand their responsibilities. They meet school leaders and visit the school regularly. This provides them with an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and areas to improve. They use their understanding to offer effective challenge and support to the school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, such as geography, the strategies adults use to support pupils to remember more are not used with precision. As a result, some pupils do not build or develop their knowledge as effectively as they could. The school should ensure that strategies to help pupils remember and apply their learning are used consistently across all subjects.  Sometimes, writing activities in the early years are not closely aligned to the children’s learning needs. This means that, at times, children do not learn as much as they could. The school should ensure that writing activities match what the children need to learn next.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged school to be good in October 2018.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 8 and 9 May 2024

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 8 and 9 May 2024

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 23 and 24 October 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not make any use of alternative provision.  The school is part of Astrea Academy Trust.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s educational provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in the team’s evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, assistant headteachers and members of the senior leadership team.  The inspector met with the trust’s chief executive officer, representatives of the trustees and representatives of the governing body. 8 and 9 May 2024

p.5

6

 The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. The inspector spoke with parents to gather their views and opinions about the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour around school and in lessons. They spoke

p.6

6

with pupils to gather their views about behaviour and safeguarding in the school.

p.6

Inspection team

Andrew Yeomans, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 May 2024

p.6

7

regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7